#On This Day 8 Mar 1840

 My 2x great uncle, Samuel Weston, was baptised in Etchingham Parish Church on 8 March 1840.  He was the eldest son of Samuel Weston and Sarah Newick.  He married Jane Pilbeam on Christmas Day 1863 and had 12 children.  They followed their sons who had emigrated to America and left Liverpool in 1893 , settling in Portsmouth, New Hamphire.  Samuel was a brewery labourer.  The brewery that he worked for was called Frank Jones & Eldridge Brewing Co. The brewery is no longer in business.  He worked in the Portsmouth Naval Dockyard during WW1.  He loved gardening until well into his 90s when failing eyesight caused him to give up.  He died in May 1939 and there were articles about in him local newspapers because of his age.

Samuel Weston and Jane Pilbeam

This photo shows him sitting down as he was rather short and Jane was tall!!

#On This Day 11 Jan 1765

My 4 times great grandmother, Mercy Hyland, was baptised on 11 Jan 1765 in Battle, Sussex.  She was the daughter of John and Mary Hyland (nee Forward).  She had a twin brother Henry.

She married George Kemp on 20 April 1786 in Mountfield, Sussex.  They had 4 girls and 4 boys:  Mary, Sarah, William, Richard, Hannah, George, Henry and Harriot.

In 1841 she is head of household at Beech Cottages, Sedlescombe, a widow, together with William nd Richard.

In 1851 she is living in Seddlescombe as head of house, age 84 and a pauper.  Living with her were her daughter Sarah, also a pauper, William an Ag Lab, Richard also an Ag Lab and a lodger.

She was buried, aged 92, on 8 Feb 1857 in Seddlescombe.